Thinking About Getting an Abyssinian Cat? Here’s What You Need to Know

Abyssinian cats, also known as Abys, are a popular cat breed for owners who are looking for energetic cats. Abyssinian cats are known to be very playful; these guys are constantly up to something and active.

They are also always seeking your attention, if you get one of these cats, you should expect to be followed around by them all the time. This also means that these cats require a bit more of your time as compared to other breeds.

On-Average, these cats are around 6–10 pounds in weight, which is about the average weight of a house cat. This breed is also known for its fancy colours. You can find Abyssinian cats in blue, silver, chocolate, brown(Ruddy), and more.

Abyssinian cats are known to be quite intelligent as well. This intelligence, combined with their playful nature makes them to be a highly engaging pet to have. Your Aby will never be bored in your house, and it will make sure that you are not bored either.

If you are the kind of person who prefers a more relaxed cat, then an Abyssinian may not be the best breed for you. They really enjoy having your attention and want you to be around them so you will need to be prepared for that.

Now that we have briefly looked at their traits, lets take a deeper look at each of their defining features. We will also discuss about common health problems this breed faces and some FAQs. Let’s get going.

Appearance

These cats are quite slender with a medium sized coat. Aby cats look a lot like the cats seen in Ancient Egyptian drawings. This breed is perceived to be ancient, as evident from its name.

Legs and Paws

Further developing its slender look, the Abyssinian cat has slim legs, with small and oval paws. This breed appears quite muscular thanks to its medium sized coat and slim body.

Head Shape

Their head shape is quite striking. With large ears as compared to the rest of its head, the Aby cat has a typical cat like appearance. It looks like a curious cat that always has something going on in its mind.

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With a pointy face and beautiful contouring lines running around it’s cheeks, this breed looks exquisite. They have the most typical of the cat look.

Eyes

The eyes of the Aby cat are very expressive. Their eyes are large, oval shaped and a centrepiece of their face. The typical eye colours found on Abyssinian cats are hazel, gold, and green.

Tail

These cats have long tails as compared to other breeds. Their tails are thick at the base and taper off at the top. Usually. the tail colour matches the colour of their coat. except for the tip of the tail, which is typically black.

Coat

Aby cats have a silky coat, the coat has a ticked appearance meaning that the hairs display 2 different shades of colours. The coat around the spine, tail, and behind the hind legs is generally darker.

There is a distinctive M-shaped marking on the foreheads of these cats. The coat around their chin is lighter than the rest of the body.

As far as the colours are concerned, there is a lot of variety found in Abyssinian cats. And depending on the location, the names might be slightly different.

1. Original/Ruddy

Originally, the Aby cat had a deep reddish-brown base coat with a ticking of black sprinkled around. In the UK, this colour was known as “Usual”, it is known as “tawny” in Australia, and another common name for it is “Ruddy”.

2. Cinnamon/Sorrel

This colour has a light coppery base, and the ticking pattern is made up of chocolate or brown colour. This pattern is quite similar to the original coat, but it still has a fairly distinctive look.

3. Silver

The silver pattern has a pure silver base coat, and the ticking pattern can be make up of a variety of colours, such as, blue, cream, or sorrel.

These are the three popular kinds of coats that are found on Aby cats, due to the high demand of this breed, there are many more color combinations that are being made.

Overall Look

Overall, this cat looks really fancy. The slim shape with large eyes and ears makes the face a focal point of this cat. The thin legs and long, slender tail make this cat appear very athletic.

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Behaviour

This breed is highly intelligent and loves to keep itself occupied. If you own one of these cats, you will notice that they are constantly up to something. They will follow you around the house and explore all the nooks and crannies of your rooms.

You will struggle to hide anything from these guys. Thanks to their exploratory nature and high intelligence, they will eventually find their way to whatever they want.

These cats don’t like to be handled a lot so, if you want a cat to cuddle with, this may not be the breed for you. Your Aby cat may love to sit with you on the couch and observe you, but it will not stay in your hands for long.

Aby cats don’t nap as much as other cat breeds, so, they are pretty active throughout the day. You should get quite a few toys to keep your Aby cat occupied because it will get bored with it’s old and simple toys pretty soon.

To keep them entertained throughout the day, it is recommended that you have someone to be with them in the house. These guys can get quite bored if they are left alone.

Birdwatching is one of the most favourite activities of this breed. If you have something like a bird feeder near your house, you will find that your Aby cat will sit for a lot of time near the windows just to observe all the different birds that visit your house.

If you want to take your Aby cat for a walk, then you can train them for that too. They love to visit the outdoors thanks to all the different birds they get to see. Just be careful that you have them on a leash, these cats love to run around and explore so you should take extra care not to lose them.

Maintenance and Grooming

The coat of the Abyssinian cat is very easy to maintain, their coat isn’t very long so these cats don’t shed a lot. To keep the coat of your Aby cat in tip top shape, you should groom it weekly with a steel comb. This will remove the dead hair and maintain the shine of their coat.

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One important thing to remember with this breed is to brush its teeth. Aby cats can suffer from Periodontal disease, so you should get a vet-approved toothpaste for your Aby cat and brush their teeth on a regular basis.

Medical Conditions

To take great care of your Aby cat, you should be aware of the kind of medical conditions this breed commonly suffers from. A lot of these conditions are genetic that occur in the Abyssinian breed.

Dental Care

As we discussed before, Abyssinians are prone to periodontal diseases. It is, however, quite easy to avoid this. Just take care to have a brushing routine for your Abyssinian cat and use a vet-approved toothpaste.

Heart Disease

Aby cars are prone to heart disease known as Cardiomyopathy. Commonly, this disease causes the heart muscles to thicken, this form of the disease is known as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It is usually caused by an overactive thyroid gland.

The disease causes blood clots to form in the heart. When these blood clots enter the blood stream, they can get stuck in the arteries of the cat. As the clot gets stuck, it blocks the blood flow through that artery.

The arteries most commonly affected by this condition are the ones that transport blood to the back legs. If your car suffers from this condition, it will suddenly stop using its rear legs.

The early signs of this disease include rapid breathing, weakness, and a bad appetite.

Shaft Disorder

This disease affects the coat of your cat. It causes the hair to go dull, the whiskers also become brittle. This condition may not be fatal, but it can cause bald spots on the cat’s fur, exposing its skin.

The symptoms of this disease are broken whiskers and bald spots on the body of your cat.

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Progressive Retinal Atrophy

This disease is found in some Abyssinian bloodlines, it causes the cat to go blind. An early sign of this disease is night blindness, and after the onset of the disease, it takes around 2 to 4 years for total blindness to occur.

In some cats PRA might not cause total blindness but severe vision loss. There is unfortunately no treatment or cure for this disease.

Nasopharyngeal Polyps

This is an abnormal growth that occurs in the sinuses of a cat. The polyp blocks the sinuses or ear canals of the cat. This blockage can also cause secondary infections.

The signs of this disease include balance problems and a change in your cat’s behaviour. A cat suffering from this disease will be more irritated. The polyps can be removed by a surgical procedure.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a genetic disorder that causes the malformation of the hip joints of your cat. It also causes arthritis in the hip joints. A cat suffering from this condition will not be nearly as active as other cats of its age.

It may start to behave like an older cat at a young age. A more severe form of this disease causes lameness in just six months old cats.

Hip X-rays are needed to detect the early onset of this disease, if detected, it can be alleviated through surgical methods.

Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection that is cause by a yeast-like fungus named Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus usually enters through the nasal cavity and then proceeds to spread to other organs of the cat.

It affects the brain, eyes, and lungs of the cat. Symptoms of this disease include weight loss, weakness, and sneezing. More severe symptoms include seizures, disorientation, eye infection, and difficulty breathing.

Luckily, this disease can be treated with antifungal medications.

Blood Type of Aby Cats

The most common blood type found in domestic cats is Type A blood, however, the Abyssinian cat usually has a different blood type. Type B or Type AB blood is found more commonly in the Aby cat breed.

It is important to know the blood type of your cat just in case a blood transfusion has to be performed in an emergency. It is therefore recommended to have a blood test of your cat to determine its blood type.

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History

This is one of the oldest known breeds. It is unclear exactly where it originated from. Some people theorise that the ancestors of this breed originated from Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia.

Others theorise that the breed finds its roots on the coast of the Indian Ocean and in some parts of South East Asia.

Genetic studies favour the second theory, they indicate that the Aby cat found in our homes today has its origins in the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean and South East Asia.

The breeding programs of these cats have been going on for a long time now. It was very popular in Britain before the second world war. Unfortunately, the breed suffered massively due to the war and the breeding programs had to be started again to save the Aby cat.

In America, the first Aby cats were imported from Britain in the 1900s, the cats that formed the North American breed of Aby cats was also imported from Britain in the 1930s.

FAQs

1. Do Abyssinian cats mind being held?

Yes, these cats are great companions that love their humans, but they generally dislike being held or kept stationary at one place.

2. Is it okay to leave them alone at home?

No, these cats don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time. The enjoy being in someone’s company.

3. Are Abyssinian Cats friendly to other cats?

Yes, these guys are very social and enjoy playing with other cats as well. In fact, it is recommended to have a cat around to keep company for your Aby cat.

4. Are Abyssinian cats smart?

Yes, Aby cats are known to be incredibly smart.

5. Are Abyssinian cats active?

Yes, these cats are incredibly active. You will find them constantly moving around the house or just doing something to entertain themselves.

 

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